USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1937 > Part 8
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Much time has been spent, out of office hours, this year, in posting contagious disease warning cards, as well as in the general supervision of the three town dumps.
Eight hundred thirty-nine inspections and adjustments have been handled through this office in the past year and all with gratifying results.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID TAGGART,
Health Officer.
106
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Report of Plumbing Inspector
To the Wakefield Board of Health:
I herewith submit my report for- the year ending December 31, 1937.
. Number of permits granted 90
Number of fixtures installed 423
Divided as follows:
Lavatories
71
Bath tubs
48
Closets
90
Sinks
75
Wash Trays
81
Boilers
47
Showers
9
Fountains
2
Total 423
I have made 233 inspections during the year.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID TAGGART,
Inspector of Plumbing.
Report of the Inspector of Milk and Food
-
To the Board of Health.
Gentlemen:
Herewith is submitted my report as Inspector of Milk and Food for the year ending December 31, 1937.
The work of this bureau during the year just past may be divided into two separate branches: namely, office work and field work.
The office work for this period consisted of the issuing of all licenses and permits pertaining to milk sales, milk processing, ice cream manu- facturing and oleomargarine sales. Also coming under this branch is the notification and recording of analytical tests. the keeping of all other office records and carrying on of a general correspondence that arises in relation to this work.
There has been issued from this office during the year a total of 155 licenses and permits, as well as approximately 200 other pieces of
107
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
correspondence. Office work of this nature was engaged in, on approxi- mately three days of each week.
The field work consisted of dairy farm inspections, milk plant in- spections and the collection of milk samples for analyses.
The work of food inspection during the year, which also comes under this branch, consisted chiefly of observations, check-ups for regulation infractions and answering complaints.
There has been an approximate total of 84 visits made to dairy farms and milk processing plants, comprising both local and out-of-town calls. There were also 168 samples of milk collected for testing and 100 visits made on food inspection work.
Three conventions were attended for educational and instructive purposes. (Expense borne by me.)
Automobile transportation consumed approximately 3000 miles, an expense also borne by me.
In concluding I wish to say that the work of the past year has effected excellent results, as the records in the office show the milk sold throughout the year 1937 to be of the finest quality ever sold in this town.
A comparison of the records of ten years ago will show that the work has doubled in that time.
The total office receipts for the year amounted to $111.50.
Respectfully submitted,
LAURENCE E. DOUCETT, Inspector of Milk and Food.
Report of Board of Public Welfare
To the Citizens of Wakefield:
In view of the substantial reduction in welfare expenses during the past year the citizens may be under the impression that there is a vast improvement in the welfare situation in this Town, but the heavy demand which has arisen during the past two months show that such is not the case, and the welfare expenditures for 1938 will show a substantial increase in the amount to be expended.
Temporary
Families
Mothers' Aid
Aid
Total
January
98
11
14
123
February
107
13
13
133
March
89
14
15
118
April
82
14
16
112
108
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
May
69
14
14
97
June
74
15
14
103
July
98
15
13
126
August
120
14
16
150
September
104
15
15
134
October
100
15
15
130
November
138
15
16
169
December
171
18
16
205
ASSIGNMENT OF AID RECIPIENTS TO WORK
The Department has continued the practice of former years in assign- ing all able-bodied recipients to work out their orders in the various Town Departments as follows:
Highway Department
1,007 man days
Park and Cemetery Department
555 man days
Town Hall
165 man days
Hamilton School
89 man days
Moth Department
20 man days
EXPENDITURES IN DETAIL FOR THE YEAR 1937
Salaries of the Board
Appropriation
$ 450.00
Expenditures
450.00
Balance to Revenue
None
Outside Relief Expenses
Appropriation
$ 60,000.00
Refunds
445.02
Total
$ 60,445.02
Expenditures
60,444.28
Balance to Revenue
$
.74
OUTSIDE RELIEF
1937
Salaries
$ 3,358.35
Shoes and Clothing
2,973.96
Groceries
24,901.34
Fuel
2,368.42
Board
6,105.05
Medical Attention
1,324.35
Hospital Care
1,869.11
Aid to Dependent Children
*8,582.96
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
109
Relief by Other Cities and Towns
627.22
Rent
5,242.75
Office Expense
373.68
Motor Vehicles
1,378.86
Burial
654.50
Commonwealth of Mass. Sewing and Commodities
493.45
Transportation
91.40
All Others
98.88
$ 60,444.28
Plus Unpaid Bills (Est)
13,000.00
Gross Outside Relief Expenses
$ 73,444.28
* Does not include $2,447.89 spent from Federal Funds.
Less Reimbursements
Cities and Towns
$ 1,268.76
Aid to Dependent Children
2,939.40
Temporary Aid
3,070.89
$ 7,279.05
Net Outside Relief Expenses
$ 66,165.23
DISTRIBUTION OF WOOD
During the year 1937, the Welfare Department distributed 190 cords of wood in the same manner as it was distributed during the year 1936.
DISTRIBUTION OF SHOES, RUBBERS AND CLOTHING
During the year 1937, the Welfare Department distributed approxi- mately 3,500 pairs of shoes and rubbers to recipients of aid.
AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN FEDERAL ACCOUNT
Amount Received Amount Expended
$ 3,007.95
2,447.89
Balance 1
$ 560.06
WILLARD DONNELL FUND
On Hand Jan. 1, 1937
$ 210.08
Receipts
305.52
Refund
32.25
Expended
$ 547.85
478.75
Balance
$ 69.10
110
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE
The Old Age Assistance Bureau has now been operating one entire year under the present law, and is in a position to ascertain somewhat the expense of this new idea of caring for the needy aged. The number of recipients each month is as follows:
January 197
July
212
February
198
August
215
March
202
September
216
April
204
October
223
May
206
November
225
June
212
December
229
Total
2539
Average per month
211-7/12
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES
Town Appropriation
$ 32,900.00
Federal grant on hand Jan. 1, 1937
5,592.53
Federal grants during year
33,577.39
Refund
484.95
$ 72,554.87
EXPENDITURES
$ 73,285.77
$730.90 overdraft. Charged to Federal funds due us.
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION
Receipts and Expenditures
Town Appropriation
$ 2,300.00
Federal Funds on Hand January 1, 1937
314.00
Federal Grants for Administration
1,119.62
$ 3,733.62
Expenses
Salaries
$ 2,429.47
Automobile
441.98
Stationery
89.51
Postage
120.86
Rent
480.00
New Equipment
266.29
Telephone
55.52
Electricity
6.10
111
REPORT OF BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
Rent of listing machine Plate glass insurance All others
12.00
7.95
16.49
$ 3,926.17
EXPENDITURES
Overdraft charged to Federal Funds due us $ 192.55
Received from Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Other Cities and Towns
$ 15,732.85 873.83
REPORT OF TOWN INFIRMARY
Appropriation
$ 8,000.00
Expenditures
7,984.25
Balance to Revenue
$
15.75
The project for insulating under the sun porches and laying new floors in hall and some of the rooms has been completed. Considerable new car- peting has been laid in the hall.
NUMBER OF INMATES MONTHLY FOR 1937
January
22 May
21 September
21
February
21 June
19 October
20
March
21
July
20
November
21
April
21 August
20
December
22
Total for Year
249
Average per Month
203/4
INFIRMARY
1937
Superintendent's Salary
$ 1,237.50
Other Help
1,201.67
Groceries
2,321.76
Dry Goods
182.04
Fuel
638.75
Care of Building and Equipment
147.48
Gas and Light
268.02
Truck Expense
89.16
Gasoline
140.88
Household Supplies
311.08
Medical
142.01
112
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Tobacco
134.83
Feeds Stuff
352.49
Seeds and Fertilizer
219.32
Telephone
82.78
Barbering
75.55
Water
265.04
Oil Burner Maintenance
12.50
Refrigerator Repairs
34.84
All Others
126.55
$ 7,984.25
Plus Unpaid Bills
*
411.00
$ 8,395.25
Receipts
Board Received in 1937
$ 336.00
Outstanding Dec. 31, 1937
1,065.00
Total for 1937
$ 1,401.00
Vegetables
206.24
Total Receipts
$ 1,617.24
Net Cost of Infirmary for 1937
$ 6,778.01
* $124.00 bill disputed trying to collect.
The amount of vegetables consumed at the Infirmary and raised on the Infirmary property amounted to $238.34.
In Memoriam
Mrs. Melvin W. Brown was appointed Matron of the Town Infirmary April 1, 1919. Her many years of patient, faithful and conscientious work endeared her, not only to the patients, but to all those who came in contact with her, both within and without the Infirmary. On May 29, after about two months' illness, she passed away at the Infirmary, which she called home. Wakefield is glad to have had the services of Mrs. Brown for so many years.
We wish to express our appreciation to all private individuals and organizations who made donations of any kind during the past years.
DENNIS P. HOGAN, Chairman ELSIE MARY GLADWIN, Secretary ETTA C. STODDARD, Agent HAROLD C. ROBINSON FRANK P. WAKEFIELD
113
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Report of School Committee
ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
School Committee for 1937
Harry B. Allman, Chairman
Term Expires 1939
43 Greenwood Street
Mrs. Eva Gowing Ripley, Secretary 40 Emerson Street
Term Expires 1940
Thomas F. Kenney, Treasurer 12 Charles Street
Term Expires 1938
*William E. Jones 29 Lafayette Street
Term Expires 1938
Mrs. Mary Louise Tredinnick 129 Pleasant Street
Term Expires 1939
Patrick H. Tenney 14 Emerson Street
Term Expires 1939
SUB-COMMITTEES
The Committee as a whole acts as sub-committees with the following chairmen:
Mrs. Tredinnick-Text Books and Supplies
Mrs. Ripley-Teachers and Salaries
Mr. Tenney-Finances and Accounts
Mr. Jones-Courses of Study
Mr. Kenney-Public Property
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
Willard B. Atwell, 94 West Chestnut Street
SECRETARY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
Pauline E. Meads, 240 Lowell Street
CLERK Doris Skinner, 9 Franklin Street
* Elected for the unexpired term of Gardner E. Campbell.
114
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
REPORT OF THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE
To the Citizens of the Town of Wakefield:
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the School Committee for the year of 1937.
Among the important actions of the Committee were:
Added a course in German as an additional elective in foreign language to fulfill the College Board requirements for Scientific Schools.
Provided bus tickets for those pupils who are entitled to transportation, instead of reimbursing the parent for fares paid.
Voted to try intra-mural baseball and to shorten the season for the varsity nine.
Voted, with the consent of the Board of Selectmen, to sell such old furniture in the Lafayette Building as was not usable for school purposes.
Granted the use of Walton Field to the Recreation Commission.
Established a new school district composed of the Lincoln and Mont- rose districts, making three districts in the Town.
Established a policy of requiring at least one year of experience of all candidates for high school positions.
Re-established the Simon-Binet Tests for children under the required school age for admission to the first grade for 1937.
Established the tuition rates for 1937-1938:
High School $98.60 Elementary $70.30
Appointed Mr. Joseph H. Fanck as director of the orchestras in the High School.
ยท Appointed Miss Edna Parks as director of the Girls' Glee Clubs in the High School.
Changes in the personnel for the year may be found in Appendix H.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Total Cost
Net Cost of Schools for Maintenance and Operation Expenditures for 1937
$263,995.01
Receipts through the School Department
40,004.11
Net Cost to the Town through local taxation $223,990.90
Per Pupil Cost
Cost per pupil for instruction and maintenance, based on average mem- bership for the school year, 1936-1937:
High School, exclusive of general control $ 99.28
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
115
Elementary Schools, exclusive of general control
70.69
All public schools, from all sources
80.84
Cost per pupil including ordinary repairs, in State 99.00
Details of finances may be found in Appendices D and E.
CARE OF PROPERTY
The Committee made an inspection of each building in June and de- termined upon the major repairs which should be done during the summer.
The amount spent for the maintenance of grounds and buildings has been rather large for the past three years. The buildings are getting older and the cost of maintaining them will continue to be high. Prices for materials are also higher than they were a few years ago.
Below is given the value of the various buildings and sites as recorded by the Board of Assessors:
Assessors' Value
Building
Date
Building $425,000.00 225,000.00
Site $ 25,000.00 7,700.00
$ 78,915.52 13,876.28
Additions
1902
1924
Franklin
1902
225,000.00
4,275.00
9,592.67
Addition
1925
Woodville
1920
85,725.00
1,000.00
4,722.67
Lincoln
1892
110,525.00
13,525.00
12,451.25
Warren
1897
94,550.00
4,720.00
6,084.15
Hurd
1899
40,000.00
2,950.00
3,878.02
West Ward
1847
5,000.00
2,600.00
1,610.55
Montrose
1930
150,775.00
3,000.00
6,318.17
Hamilton
1883
45,000.00
4,500.00
150.00
$1,406,575.00
$ 69,270.00
$137,599.28
Total value of the School Plant-$1,613,444.28.
HIGH SCHOOL
The enrollment for the High School at the beginning of the year was:
Boys
Girls
Total
Post Graduates
12
17
29
Seniors
120
137
257
Juniors
128
139
267
Sophomores A. M.
85
91
176
345
384
729
Sophomores P. M.
29
75
104
Estimate Value of Contents
High
1923
Greenwood
1897
116
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Freshmen
169
141
310
198
216
414
Total
543
600
1143
This gives an enrollment for the high school of 1,143 pupils, a decrease of ninety pupils over last year.
The following courses are offered in the High School:
College Preparatory, preparing for admission to college; Scientific, pre- paring for admission to a scientific or technical school; English, a general educational course; Commercial, preparing for work in offices or in business; Industrial Arts, for students who by natural inclination are more interested in work with their hands; High School Preparatory, for certain pupils who will probably need five years to do the work required for graduation- domestic science for girls and woodworking for boys are electives in this course.
A certificate from the High School is accepted by any college which admits students by certification. The High School is approved in Class A High Schools, which is the highest rating given by the State Department of Education and means that a certificate from the Wakefield High School is accepted for admission to any of the state colleges.
Assemblies are held frequently in the High School with varied types of programs, including patriotic, educational and musical.
The circulation in the Charles H. Howe Library shows a 57% increase over the previous school year.
At the present time, about 325 boys and girls are receiving musical instruction in the High School in the glee clubs, bands and orchestra. There are 125 pupils in the Senior and Junior bands and 30 pupils in the orchestra.
At present, there are about 140 girls in the Senior and Junior Girls' Glee Clubs and 70 in the Boys' Glee Clubs. The Boys' Glee Clubs rehearse in the Y. M. C. A. building as there is no room for them in the High School. The girls rehearse in the Auditorium in the afternoon and fore- noon at the same time that the gymnasium classes are held in the gym- nasium. This arrangement is very unsatisfactory, but there is no other place for rehearsals. Under these adverse conditions, the Girls' Glee Clubs do very satisfactory work.
In sports, the High School has had a successful year. The record of the football team was the best for years. In baseball, an experiment was tried in having intra-mural as well as inter-school baseball. Under this plan there were 157 boys playing baseball instead of less than 30.
The number in the different sports is:
Boys: Football 87, Cross Country 30, Basketball 270, Baseball 157, Track 47, Soccer 22, Hockey 16.
Girls: Field Hockey 70, Riding 23, Bowling 160, Swimming 20, Track 50, Archery 162, Tennis 80, Basketball 230, Baseball 56, Tennis Tournaments: Advanced (Fall) 52, Advanced (Spring) 35, Beginners 45.
117
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The registration in the various elementary schools, as of December 31. 1937, is as follows:
Franklin 360
Montrose 202
Greenwood 493
Warren 257
Hurd
109
Woodville 121
Lincoln 385
West Ward 72
A year ago last September, all eighth grade pupils were transferred from the High School to the districts in which they lived. As far as pos- sible, the work in the seventh and eighth grades has been put on a depart- mental basis, that is, if a teacher has specialized in Geography or History, for example, and enjoys instructing in her specialty, she is assigned to teach that subject in as many grades as possible in the building in which she is serving. This arrangement gives to the pupil expert teaching in his several fields. The teachers have worked conscientiously under the changed conditions.
"The work in character training has been continued. Each teacher takes charge of one assembly program. Work on safety, health and citizen- ship is carried on as incidental teaching without interfering with the regular school work."
A Parent-Teacher Association purchased a radio for one of the schools last spring. It is being used to listen to the worthwhile programs which are being put on by the "School of the Air" notably those in music appre- ciation by Walter Damrosch. Radios brought in by several pupils in various schools enabled the upper grades to hear the broadcast of the coronation of King George VI.
Last spring there were several successful speaking contests and musicales.
The teachers of physical and health education encourage all children to form proper habits of exercise and health habits which will make for a strong, healthy body and a keen and alert mind which will help them to realize the highest physical, mental and social possibilities.
"The instructor visits each room once in two weeks, the lessons are graded beginning with the sitting and standing positions, marching, sing- ing-games, stunts and team games to practice safety and co-operation along with sportsmanship and leadership. Talks on safety, care of the teeth, the value of good posture, cleanliness, first aid, proper clothing, home and schoolroom hygiene are given.
"After-school activities include team games for girls and individual activities together with grammar school leagues for the boys, starting with tag football in the fall, grammar school basketball in the winter and fin- ishing the year with baseball and track in the spring.
"Cups for the champions in the various boys' sports are donated by the Wakefield Daily Item, the Hi-Y Club and the Wakefield Elks."
118
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
HEALTH
The following paragraphs are taken from the report of the School Physician:
"There have been no serious epidemics among the pupils during the year. Measles were rather prevalent, as they are each five or six years. There was no case of diphtheria. The absence of diphtheria for several years has tended to lull the parents to the need of eternal vigilance. In other words, not quite as many parents are consenting to have their chil- dren immunized as when diphtheria was a constant menace. One hundred and seventy-six pupils immunized last year were "Schicked" and nine were found still susceptible. These were re-immunized. One hundred and forty- four were immunized using their doses of 'toxoid', three weeks between doses.
"Physicians from the North Reading Sanatorium conducted the testing for tuberculosis with X-ray of all reacting to the skin test and physical examination of pupils with suspicious or definite X-rays. No active case of tuberculosis was discovered. In addition to this, several suspicious cases discovered in routine examination, and contacts of discovered tuberculosis in the family, have been taken to North Reading.
"The first grade, fifth grade and first year high pupils have been given physical examinations, stripped to the waist, and the results recorded on the health cards furnished by the State. Deviations from normal have been reported to the parents on notices furnished by the State. Such a notice does not necessarily mean actual disease but that the condition is so suggestive that the family physician should be consulted. As a result of examination, the following notices were sent home-teeth needing dental care 150, disease of the nose, throat and tonsils 144, organic heart disease 8, infections of eyes and eyelids 5, infectious skin diseases 7, and various minor needs of attention to person or clothing.
"The teeth and throats of all other pupils have been examined. It is noticeable that in the High School, the girls' teeth are much better cared for than are the boys'. This is not true in the grades. There has been considerable improvement in the care of teeth, but there is still much neglect."
The following gives an account of the work of the School Nurse outside of the regular routine work in the schools.
Attended: First Aid cases, 52; boys injured in manual training, 4; slight burns in chemistry, 5; children taken to North Reading Sanatorium for X-rays, 15; children taken to Middlesex County Sanatorium for exam- inations, 4; home visits, investigating and follow up work, 435.
MUSIC
The following paragraphs are from the report of the Music Supervisor : "The music program continues to expand. The short chorus period provided in the morning session of the High School made it possible to
119
REPORT OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE
give a concert at Christmas in addition to the annual concert during Music Week. The latter event featured the tenth anniversary of Mr. Arthur A. Fulton's directorship of the Boys' Glee Club. Junior glee clubs for both girls and boys of the afternoon session have been formed and these united with the senior clubs, make a chorus of more than two hundred voices.
"A junior orchestra organized last spring is progressing well.
"Piano and violin classes are held after the regular school sessions in the following buildings: High, Lincoln, Montrose and Greenwood. There are eighty-four pupils studying the piano and thirty-four studying the violin. These classes are conducted at no expense to the Town.
"Music in the seventh and eighth grades has for the most part been placed in the hands of one teacher in each building. Choirs have been formed and several of these have given an excellent account of their work in public performances in their respective buildings. Moreover, the result of the training of these departmental teachers is evidenced in the quality of the singing in the junior glee clubs of the high school.
"Not so obvious, but fully as important is the good work being done by the elementary grade teachers. Many report that incoming classes are better prepared in music. Quality of tone is improving on the whole as well as the ability to read the printed score. So-called 'monotones' are. noticeably decreasing. The great need at present is for victrola records to continue the rhythmic activities and develop intelligent listening. The concert by the grades in June was given in collaboration with the Super- visor of Drawing, whose work contributed much to the success of 'The Picture Book Festival'.
"There is continued evidence of community co-operation. Individuals have given pianos and other pieces of equipment. Members from several local choral organizations united with the glee clubs in their recent Christ- mas concert."
ATTENDANCE
Detailed information on attendance may be found in Appendices A and B.
The Attendance Officer reports that he has investigated the following cases and has taken care of the same:
Sickness
112
Truancy
77
Tardy
18
Lack of clothes, shoes or food
32
Kept out by parents or guardian
19
Home employment permits
6
Collected school books and property from
30
Left school to go to work
45
General disobedience
26
Investigated excuses
19
Investigated and found them moved
13
120
TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Found in homes and taken to school
5
Found on street and taken to school
3
Found on street and taken home
4
Taken to court
1
Placed on probation
1
Taken to Chelmsford
0
Girls taken home ill
4
Boys taken home ill
3
Left school
10
Misdemeanor on school grounds
5
Holding warrants for good behavior
7
Suspensions
14
Notified by court
2
Teachers taken home ill
2
RETIREMENTS
During the year, two teachers retired from active service, Miss Alice J. Kernan and Mrs. Myrta Knight.
Miss Kernan was elected in 1890 and 'has served continuously since then. It is interesting to note that Miss Kernan taught the same grade and in the same room in the Warren School from the time it was built up to the time of her retirement. Miss Kernan gave unstintingly of her time and energy and is beloved by all who have passed through her classes.
Mrs. Myrta Knight retired in June after serving since 1910 except for a few months. The first part of her service was as a permanent substitute, and as such, she came into contact with the pupils of the various schools who recognized the benefits of her instruction. Later when she was assigned to a regular teaching position, she became a firm friend and a helpful guide to all of the pupils in the building.
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